End Of Scam Road In Joplin

After promoting and then canceling three events – without returning vendors’ deposits – Joplin, Mo., promoter Derrick Gates has 3 1/2 years to repay more than $28,500 to 55 vendors, according to an agreement reached with the Missouri attorney general June 4th, in lieu of a trial.

Gates, 30, and two co-defendants – Josh Allen, 26, and Zachary Grimm, 22, who are listed as employees of his companies OnFire Productions and HardNox Productions, were named in a lawsuit filed by the attorney general in December, according to the Joplin Globe.

The promoter, who also went by the alias Derrick Badders, and his associates received more than $37,000 as down payments for booth space for three events between January and November of last year.

Godstock, a Christian music festival in Joplin, was supposed to take place last summer and two events were scheduled to take place in Kansas City, Mo. – the Battle for the Mic rap concert last August and the Ink Deep Tattoo Convention last December.

The agreement stipulates that Gates must make payments of $680 each month to the state’s Merchandising Practices Restitution Fund, but if he misses a payment, the entire balance can be declared due immediately. He must also pay $2,708 to reimburse the attorney general’s office, but as long as he complies with the agreement, a $25,000 civil penalty will be suspended, according to the Globe.

Allen paid his dues May 9th – $5,250 in restitution and $1,906 in court costs. The payment went to 10 artists plus vendors who reserved space at the tattoo convention.

Grimm has one year to repay $3,225 to six vendors who provided deposits for Godstock and pay $500 to cover the state’s costs for the investigation.

Gates, Allen and Grimm are under a permanent injunction that prohibits them from promoting an event without securing a performance bond of at least $200,000 and first notifying the attorney general’s office.